A numerical simulation of intranasal air temperature during inspiration

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: In vivo measurements of the intranasal air temperature are feasible. The present study was designed to reproduce temperature distributions within the human nasal cavity by means of numerical simulation. STUDY DESIGN: Numerical simulation. METHODS: Based on computed tomography (CT), a steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was performed displaying the temperature distribution throughout the human nasal cavity during inspiration. The results of the numerical simulation were compared with in vivo temperature measurements. RESULTS: The numerical simulation demonstrated that the major increase of the inspiratory air temperature can be found in the anterior nasal segment, especially within the nasal valve area, which is comparable to in vivo measurements. Intranasal areas of high temperature were characterized by turbulent airflow with vortices of low velocity. The results of numerical simulation showed an excellent comparability to the results of previous in vivo measurements in the entire nasal cavity. CONCLUSION: The anterior nasal segment is the most effective part of the nose in heating of the ambient air. The findings demonstrated the complexity of the relationship between airflow patterns and heating of inspired air. A numerical simulation of the temperature distribution using CFD is practicable.     

Evaluation of the binding of the tricyclic isoxazole photoaffinity label LY475776 to multidrug resistance associated protein 1 (MRP1) orthologs and several ATP- binding cassette (ABC) drug transporters

Several of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters confer resistance to anticancer agents and/or antiviral agents when overexpressed in drug-sensitive cells. Recently a MRP1 (ABCC1) tricyclic isoxazole inhibitor, LY475776 was shown to be a glutathione-dependent photoaffinity label of human MRP1 and showed poor labeling of murine mrp1, an ortholog that does not confer anthracycline resistance. In the present study, the specificity of LY475776 was examined for its ability to modulate or photolabel orthologs of MRP1 and several other drug efflux transporters of the ABC transporter family. LY475776 modulated MRP1 and Pgp-mediated resistance (MDR, ABCB1) in, respectively, HeLa-T5 and CEM/VLB(100) cells to both vincristine and doxorubicin. LY475776 photolabeled 170kDa Pgp and was inhibited by the potent Pgp inhibitor LY335979 (Zosuquidar.3HCl). The labeling of the 190kDa MRP1 protein in membranes of HeLa-T5 cells was inhibited by substrates of MRP1 such as leukotriene C(4), vincrisine, and doxorubicin and by the inhibitor, MK571. LY475776 did not photolabel human MRP2 (ABCC2), MRP3 (ABCC3), MRP5 (ABCC5) or breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2). Because LY475776 photolabels murine mrp1 less well than human MRP1 and binds to a region believed important for anthracycline binding, studies were conducted with monkey and canine MRP1 which also show a reduced ability to confer resistance to anthracyclines. Unlike murine mrp1, both orthologs were photolabeled well by LY475776. These studies indicate that the specificity of LY475776 is fairly limited to Pgp and MRP1 and further studies will help to define the binding regions.     

Pulmonary function study of myasthenia-gravis patients treated with double-filtration plasmapheresis

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in pulmonary function tests for patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) after treatment with double filtration plasmapheresis (DFP) and to evaluate whether pulmonary function tests predict the efficacy of DFP treatment. Thirty-five MG patients (20 females and 15 males, age range 21-69 years) underwent DFP for between four and eight consecutive sessions. Vital capacity (VC), maximal inspiratory pressure (Pi(max)), and MG score were measured before and after DFP. Based on the results of pulmonary function tests, the patients were divided into dyspnea (VC < 1.0 L or Pi(max) < -25 cm H(2)O) and control groups (VC > 1.0 L and Pi(max) > -25 cm H(2)O). The dyspnea group had a significantly better response to DFP treatment, reflected in the decrease of the MG-score (P=0.0327), and the increase in VC value (P=0.0561). Higher clearance rates of acetylcholine receptor antibody (AchRAb) had a trend toward higher changes of VC. In conclusion, VC might better serve as a predictor for the effect of DFP in the dyspnea patient group because of better correlation with clinical improvement and AchRAb clearance.     

Rowing performance of female and male rowers

This study evaluated the rowing performance of female and male rowers with regard to their body size. Body height, body mass, fat-free mass, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), and "2000-m" rowing ergometer performance were measured in 71 females (age range 18-24 years, height 153-173 cm, body mass 43-69 kg, fat-free mass 34-55 kg; VO2max 2.1-3.9 L min(-1); 2000-m time 437-556 s) and 120 males (age 18-24 years, height 164-193 cm, body mass 58-95 kg, fat-free mass 50-81 kg; VO2max 3.4-5.6 L min(-1); 2000-m time 378-484 s). Rowing performance was correlated to body height (r=-0.81, P<0.001), body mass (r=-0.85, P<0.001), fat-free mass (r=-0.91, P<0.001), and VO2max (r=-0.90, P<0.001). However, rowing time was slower in the females than in the males with a similar body height (by approximately 10%) and body mass (by approximately 9%), but the sex difference was smaller when the fat-free mass (by approximately 4%) and VO2max (by approximately 4%) were matched. This study suggests that individuals with large body size and aerobic capacity possess an advantage for a 2000-m row on an ergometer. However, among females and males the variation in body size and aerobic capacity cannot explain the entire sex difference in ergometer rowing performance.     

Effects of training on functional performance in 65, 75 and 85 year-old women: experiences deriving from community based studies in Odense,Denmark

The aim of the Odense training studies is to elucidate if regular physical training influences the expected decline in physical functional ability in order to assess capacity for postponing dependence in old age. All participants were healthy community-dwelling women representing three different age-cohorts of 65, 75 and 85 year-old subjects. The 65 and 85 year-old participants of the training group took part in physical class-based exercises for eight months with one session of 60 min a week, whereas the 75 year-old women trained twice a week over eight months. The multicomponent training consisted of various exercises typically involving body awareness, rhythm, aerobic performance (walking), muscle strength and muscle endurance, flexibility, reaction and balance exercises. Physical ability was measured as physical performance test (PPT), isometric muscle strength of the trunk, hip and leg, aerobic capacity and walking speed. This shows that regular training can significantly improve physical ability of elderly women with regard to PPT, maximal oxygen uptake and maximal walking speed, suggesting that both young-old and old-old women are able to benefit from regular tailored exercise training. Thus, physical training of old community-dwelling women appears to represent a prophylactic remedy that merits further research aimed at evaluating the preliminary findings of the present studies in larger, less selective groups of participants.     

Why phase III trials of maximal androgen blockade versus castration in M1 prostate cancer rarely show statistically significant differences

BACKGROUND: The meta-analysis of maximal androgen blockade (MAB) concluded that there is no survival advantage of MAB over castration alone. However, the results from the largest trials yield conflicting results. METHODS: The design and results of three trials were examined. RESULTS: Most studies were planned to detect an over-optimistic difference in survival and immature data were published. The survival curves show that statistical assumptions are not fulfilled. Excluding from the meta-analysis all trials where a negative impact of disease flare on survival could not be excluded resulted in no difference in survival between MAB and castration. CONCLUSIONS: Trials of MAB should be planned to detect differences of no more than 5-10% in median survival. The analyses should only be carried out on mature data and should take into account the possibility of a negative impact on survival due to disease flare if no anti-androgen has been given initially with an LH-RH agonist.     

孟鲁司特联合布地奈德福莫特罗治疗重度哮喘的临床研究

目的观察孟鲁司特联合布地奈德福莫特罗治疗重度哮喘的疗效。方法对136例重度哮喘患者进行随机对照研究，分为治疗组68例，对照组68例，治疗组用盂鲁司特联合布地奈德福莫特罗治疗，对照组吸入布地奈德福莫特罗治疗。结果两组治疗4周后，治疗组疗效优于对照组。结论孟鲁司特联合布地奈德福莫特罗治疗重度哮喘的疗效优于单用布地奈德福莫特罗治疗。     

La fatigue musculaire locale après une séance de natation

This experimentally work was carried out on a group of students in physical and sporting education in order to identify the muscular fatigue they feeled after a swimming training.For this purpose, two approach's methods were used: a questionnaire in order better to estimate the characteristics of this kind of fatigue and standardized tests of muscular isometric contraction relating to biceps brachii and quadriceps corresponding to 100, 80, 60 and 40% of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC).For each of the 12 subjects, it was the matter to realize these tests before a swimming training then to re-realize them in quite identical conditions after the swimming training. Analysis and data processing allowed us to say that the level of producted performances after the swimming training is lower. This fact is very appreciably for performances which require 100 and 80% of MVC, but less significant for efforts corresponding to 40% of this strength.This kind of stating work's test should be used in functional muscular exploration in order to confirm the fatigue and, even, be useful for trying to detect some required qualities specific of one sporting practice.     

Variability and reproducibility of hepatic FDG uptake measured as SUV as well as tissue‐to‐blood background ratio using positron emission tomography in healthy humans

Introduction: To investigate variability and reproducibility of hepatic [¹⁸F]‐2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐d ‐glucose (FDG) uptake in healthy individuals. Methods:  Static images were obtained 70 min after the injection of 160 MBq FDG in six healthy subjects at two occasions with 13 days’ interval. FDG uptake was adjusted for tissue‐to‐blood background ratio (T/B), or measured as standardized uptake value (SUV). Small regions of interest (ROIs) of 10 cm³ in two different hepatic regions were analysed as well as the total liver. Results: Mean SUV was 1·16 ± 0·15 and mean T/B corrected values was 1·87 ± 0·17. The maximal values were 2·70 (SUV) and 4·67 (T/B). Reproducibility was 6·7% for the mean SUV and 0·2% for the max SUV values. The corresponding figures for the T/B corrected mean values were 6·4% and for the max T/B values 13·0%. In general, the small ROIs had a comparable or even lower CV% for SUV values, but a higher CV% for T/B corrected values. Conclusions: In normal subjects hepatic FDG‐uptake is high and homogeneous with a low CV% between days. T/B corrected values are largely comparable to SUV values but not superior, probably due to the standardization of procedures and homogeneity of the subjects. The T/B corrected method is theoretically superior in a more inhomogeneous population or when using different scanners and is shown here to be easy to apply. Small ROIs of 10 cm³ are representative with respect to mean FDG uptake in the total liver and reproducibility, but do not identify the max FDG uptake.